Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of the extracts from Bidens pilosa Linn. var. radiata Sch. Bip. for antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity against human tumor cells

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Natural Medicines Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines of extracts from Bidens pilosa Linn. var. radiata Sch. Bip. (BP). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties of different polarity fractions extracted from BP were evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging test and FRAP assay. The ethyl acetate fraction (EE-BP) showed the highest antioxidant activity compared to other fractions. In addition, the anti-proliferative activities of the extracts on four human tumor cells, namely MCF-7, HepG2, MGC 803 and RKO, were investigated by MTT method. The EE-BP displayed the most remarkable anti-proliferative effect against the tumor cells, particularly RKO cell in dose- and time-dependent manner. The antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity correlated highly with the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively. Furthermore, The active ingredient BP-6, namely 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3,3′-dimethyl-flavonol, was isolated and purified with the purity above 99.00% and content of 0.15% in EE-BP detected by HPLC, which could significantly inhibit the proliferation of RKO cells with the IC50 value of 6.66 μmol/l. In order to characterize the apoptotic RKO cells, flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation assay were performed. Apoptotic cell numbers increased in a dose-dependent manner after the treatment with different concentrations of EE-BP and BP-6 for 12 and 6 h, respectively. DNA ladders in apoptotic RKO cells could be easily visualized when exposed to 200 μg/ml of the EE-BP for 36 h. Taken together, our work indicated that BP had potentially therapeutic value against colorectal cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organization (2011) WHO media centre: cancer. http://www.who.int/cancer/en/

  2. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, Murray T, Xu J, Thun MJ (2007) Cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin 57:43–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sun YJ, Zhao H, Guo Y, Lin F, Tang LN, Yao Y (2009) Clinical study of combining chemotherapy of oxaliplatin or 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin with hydroxycamptothecine for advanced colorectal cancer. Clin Oncol Cancer Res 6:117–123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tan KY, Liu CB, Chen AH, Ding YJ, Jin HY, Seow-Choen F (2008) The role of traditional Chinese medicine in colorectal cancer treatment. Tech Coloproctol 12:1–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Alvarez A, Pomar F, Sevilla, Montero MJ (1999) Gastric antisecretory and antiulcer activities of an ethanolic extract of Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata Schult. Bip. J Ethnopharmacol 67:333–340

  6. Chiang YM, Chuang DY, Wang SY, Kuo YH, Tsai PW, Shyur LF (2004) Metabolite profiling and chemopreventive bioactivity of plant extracts from Bidens pilosa. J Ethnopharmacol 95:409–419

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Farah D, Tran DX, Masaaki Y, Shinkichi T (2008) Chemical composition and antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oils from Bidens pilosa Linn. var radiata. Food Control 19:346–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dimo T, Rakotonirina SV, Tan PV, Azay J, Dongo E, Cros G (2002) Leaf methanol extract of Bidens pilosa prevents and attenuates the hypertension induced by high-fructose diet in Wistar rats. J Ethnopharmacol 83:183–191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jiangsu New Medical College (1986) Dictionary of Chinese materia medica. Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, Shanghai

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fiume I, Napolitano V, Del Genio G, Allaria A, Del Genio A (2006) Cecum cancer underlying appendicular abscess. Case report and review of literature. World J Emerg Surg 1:11

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Yang HL, Chen SC, Chang NW, Chang JM, Lee ML, Tsai PC, Fu HH, Kao WW, Chiang HC, Wang HH, Hseu YC (2006) Protection from oxidative damage using Bidens pilosa extracts in normal human erythrocytes. Food Chem Toxicol 44:1513–1521

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Ong PL, Weng BC, Lu FJ, Lin ML, Chang TT, Hung RP, Chen CH (2008) The anticancer effect of protein-extract from Bidens alba in human colorectal carcinoma SW480 cells via the reactive oxidative species- and glutathione depletion-dependent apoptosis. Food Chem Toxicol 46:1535–1547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mohammadzadeh S, Sharriatpanahi M, Hamedi M, Amanzadeh Y, Ebrahimi SES, Ostad SN (2007) Antioxidant power of Iranian propolis extract. Food Chem 103:729–733

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zieliński H, Ceglińska A, Michalska A (2007) Antioxidant contents and properties as quality indices of rye cultivars. Food Chem 104:980–988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kang WY, Li CF, Liu YX (2010) Antioxidant phenolic compounds and flavonoids of Mitragyna rotundifolia (Roxb.) Kuntze in vitro. Med Chem Res 19:1222–1232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Re R, Pellegrini N, Proteggente A, Pannala A, Yang M, Rice-Evans C (1999) Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Radic Biol Med 26:1231–1237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang H, Gao XD, Zhou GC, Cai L, Yao WB (2008) In vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of aqueous extract from Choerospondias axillaris fruit. Food Chem 106:888–895

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Carmichael J, DeGraff WG, Gazdar AF, Minna JD, Mitchell JB (1987) Evaluation of a tetrazolium-based semiautomated colorimetric assay—assessment of chemosensitivity testing. Cancer Res 47:936–942

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Awah FM, Uzoegwu PN, Oyugi JO, Rutherford J, Ifeonu P, Yao XJ, Fowke KR, Eze MO (2010) Free radical scavenging activity and immunomodulatory effect of Stachytarpheta angustifolia leaf extract. Food Chem 119:1409–1416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hursting SD, Slaga TJ, Fischer SM, DiGiovanni J, Phang JM (1999) Mechanism-based cancer prevention approaches: targets, examples, and the use of transgenic mice. J Natl Cancer Inst 91:215–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Koornstra JJ, Jong SD, Hollema H, Vries ED, Kleibeuker JH (2003) Changes in apoptosis during the development of colorectal cancer: a systematic review of the literature. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 45:37–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Adams JM, Cory S (2007) The Bcl-2 apoptotic switch in cancer development and therapy. Oncogene 26:1324–1337

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Watson AJ (1995) Review article: manipulation of cell death—the development of novel strategies for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 9:215–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee ER, Kang YJ, Kim HJ, Choi HY, Kang GH, Kim JH, Kim BW, Jeong HS, Park YS, Cho SG (2008) Regulation of apoptosis by modified naringenin derivatives in human colorectal carcinoma RKO cells. J Cell Biochem 104:259–273

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Khonkarn R, Okonogi S, Ampasavate C, Anuchapreeda S (2010) Investigation of fruit peel extracts as sources for compounds with antioxidant and antiproliferative activities against human cell lines. Food Chem Toxicol 48:2122–2129

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Liu YL, Tang LH, Liang ZQ, You BG, Yang SL (2010) Growth inhibitory and apoptosis inducing by effects of total flavonoids from Lysimachia clethroides Duby in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. J Ethnopharmacol 131:1–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Xie YC, Dong XW, Wu XM, Yan XF, Xie QM (2009) Inhibitory effects of flavonoids extracted from licorice on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute pulmonary inflammation in mice. Int Immunopharmacol 9:194–200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Tan S, Wang C, Lu C, Zhao B, Cui Y, Shi X, Ma X (2009) Quercetin is able to demethylate the p16INK4a gene promoter. Chemotherapy 55:6–10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Xavier CP, Lima CF, Preto A, Seruca R, Fernandes-Ferreira M, Pereira-Wilson C (2009) Luteolin, quercetin and ursolic acid are potent inhibitors of proliferation and inducers of apoptosis in both KRAS and BRAF mutated human colorectal cancer cells. Cancer Lett 281:162–170

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was conducted in Class III Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Pharmacognosy of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of People’s Republic of China and financially supported by Key Project of Fujian Provincial Universities for Haixi Development (Grant No. 5) and Developmental Fund of Chen Keji Integrative Medicine (Grant No. CKJ2010026).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1 Huatuo Road, Fuzhou, 350108, People’s Republic of China

    Jianguo Wu, Yanbin Wu & Jinzhong Wu

  2. Department of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, People’s Republic of China

    Zhongxian Wan

  3. Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Fujian Institute of Education, Fuzhou, 350001, People’s Republic of China

    Jun Yi

  4. Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Peng

Authors
  1. Jianguo Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhongxian Wan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jun Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yanbin Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wei Peng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jinzhong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinzhong Wu.

Additional information

J. Wu and Z. Wan contributed equally to this work, and both should be considered as first author.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wu, J., Wan, Z., Yi, J. et al. Investigation of the extracts from Bidens pilosa Linn. var. radiata Sch. Bip. for antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity against human tumor cells. J Nat Med 67, 17–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0639-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0639-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation